Memorial Day 2015

He stood, surveying a battlefield, bloody with the life of his brothers.

They didn’t choose this war. None of them did. Perhaps even those who did choose didn’t know what they were doing—sending the young, the strong, the brave. Sending them to die for a cause they barely understood.

He knew it was right. Tragic, yes. But he knew now, the cause was just.

He walked, remembering. Here is where he lost his leader. Here is where he lost his friends. Here is where he cut down another young man wearing a different uniform… fighting for a different cause. A cause that man didn’t understand.

That was the worst thing—so many lives were lost. He didn’t know what else could have been done, though. The cause was just. The fallen were heroes who died to keep others from falling. Died for liberty. Died for freedom.

Was it worth it? He decided it was. Liberty wasn’t yet perfected. Freedom hadn’t come for all. But good had been done. That, he decided, made it enough.

He remembered and moved forward until… here. Here is where he laid down his own life. Here is where he gave his all.